A Consumer Reports Poll confirms it. It’s what we’ve known all along: Americans love their grills. The poll found that 41 percent of outdoor grillers grill all year and 68 percent even grill in the rain. Twenty-six percent have even grilled in the snow, sleet or hail. Nearly a third have grilled in below freezing temperatures. When you think of tender, juicy American beef thought, it’s really no wonder why Americans love their grills. Consumer Reports has some tips on finding the best grills:
Consumer Reports’ tests of 37 gas grills, in sizes from portable or small to large, revealed that a premium price doesn’t guarantee a better grill: Some mid-priced grills outperformed grills costing hundreds more. Consumer Reports’ tests also found that a higher Btu level (British thermal unit) – once touted by manufacturers – doesn’t guarantee faster heating or better cooking. Shoppers will also find that many grill makers have turned to infrared technology to create buzz. But, CR notes that infrared is just another way of saying indirect cooking with heat, and that when it comes to grills, there are several ways to generate it. Consumer Reports’ tests revealed little difference between infrared technologies. It also found that infrared cooking was no better than regular grilling.
Three midsized grills have been designated as CR Best Buys: the Blue Ember by Fiesta FG50069-U401, $450, available at Home Depot; the Brinkmann 810-8410S, $200, also available at Home Depot; and the Char-Broil Commercial Series 463268008, $300, available at Lowe’s. The Blue Ember shined for cooking food evenly. The Brinkmann combined fine cooking, a side burner, and lots of shelf space at a lower price. The stainless-steel Char-Broil offers excellent grilling, a side burner, and an abundance of shelf space.
People grilling for a crowd should consider these CR Best Buys: the Kenmore 16315, $570, available at Sears; and the Char-Broil Quantum 463248208, $500, available at Lowe’s, are both stainless steel. The Kenmore provides very good performance with five main burners and a 10-year warranty. It also has a rotisserie and side burners, and plenty of shelf space. The Char-Broil excels in grilling, provides infrared heat, and a lifetime warranty on its burners.
Consumers who tailgate or have a tight space will be interested in the $190 Weber Q 200 (396002), a portable grill that is very good at cooking food evenly, an important characteristic. A cart and an adapter for a larger propane tank are available separately for this grill.
Another tip from Consumer Reports… when shopping for a grill, bring a magnet. The magazine says a magnet will usually stick to cheaper-grade steel. So if the magnet sticks, move on. That grill is more likely to rust.